Question for Half-Eye

[Bevan R.]

Would have IM's you but I wanted to include pics. Also interested in any other opinions...

I have the piece of Osage I just took to a ring. Mainly for practice. But got to thinking it might make a bow like some of your short NA bows.
The stave is 56" long right now. It is 2.25 inches wide on the big end but only 1" on the small end. I really liked the last bow you posted with the 'stepped' sides. What do you think?

Bevan R

[Bevan R.]

Don't you just love a good picture

Here is the missing one..

Thanks

Bevan R

[jthompson1995]

I'm not Half-Eye, but that should be plenty of osage to make a bow. The rings look good. If it were me, I'd make it a bend-through the handle d-bow and maybe reflex the tips a bit.

[half eye]

Bevan,
      Dont see why that will not work just fine. If you are talking about the last 46" bow I put up....mine was actually bigger than the original (so I could get a little more draw length).....the original of the bow was just under 1" wide (2.35 cm) and about 40" long (101.5 cm).....you have plenty of wood.
      I never made one from a stave but there is no reason I can think of why it shouldn't work. The museum high rez pic looks like the original was made from a stave (if ya blow it up some).
rich

here's a pic of the original bow.

[Bevan R.]

Thanks Rich,
What were the dimensions of your version, if you don't mind sharing?

If I could, I would really like to get as close as possable to my 27" draw. If I don't, I know someday I will yank it back not thinking. (I am known for doing things without thinking).

Bevan R

[half eye]

Mine is white ash....1-1/4" wide at the center 1/3 of the bow, tapering to 3/4" at the string knocks.....then I sanded the transition of the taper so it looked like a long football shape. 1/2" thick in the center 5" and tapers to 3/8" thick at the tips.....that will leave your tips a little "stiff" but when ya cut out the side patterns it rounds out the bend profile.
      Each one of the "steps" is 1-1/2" long.....and the center of the cut pattern is 9-1/2" from the string knock, that puts the first cut step at 7" from the knock.

By the way the ash I used was pretty dense stuff.....between 1/8" and 1/16" growth rings, and of course was vertical ring. My experience with a "d" bow is that you should have no trouble getting 27" of draw from your stick....even 2 inches shorter.

You will probably be real happy if ya leave the center 5-6 inches a little thick and "work the bend" intowards the center, will keep from gettin the bend in the middle thing.
rich

[Bevan R.]

Thanks allot!!
Looking forward to trying it out.

Bevan R